Artist Statement for Final Project 2011.

I had a hard time trying to decide on what I wanted to focus on for my final project but I think I finally came to decision. For my final project, I am going to create a book stemming from my final project the previous semester. Last semester I focused on environmental portraits of my senior citizen neighbors. For this semester, I would like to take that idea and push it a bit further. I want to use some of the models that I used last year as well as incorporating more, into a book that would be revolved around the notion of living alone and the memories and or objects that these people use to cope with it. I want this series to be more of an intimate moment between the audience and the subject. I wanted the viewer to get a sense of who the subject is, their likes/interests, and a little bit of their history. In order to do this, I will have to avoid shooting at harsh angles. I want the camera to be a 'fly on the wall'. I wanted the subjects and photos to look natural and not staged, as if the photo was a window into their everyday lives. I want the color to look as natural as possible and will try to use natural lighting for most of my pictures. In addition to portraits of these people, I will also include photos with their loved ones, or any other objects/items that hold great meaning to them.